Resource-aware Cyber Deception in Cloud-Native Environments

Cyber deception can be a valuable addition to traditional cyber defense mechanisms, especially for modern cloud-native environments with a fading security perimeter. However, pre-built decoys used in classical computer networks are not effective in detecting and mitigating malicious actors due to their inability to blend with the variety of applications in such environments. On the other hand, decoys cloning the deployed microservices of an application can offer a high-fidelity deception mechanism to intercept ongoing attacks within production environments. However, to fully benefit from this approach, it is essential to use a limited amount of decoy resources and devise a suitable cloning strategy to minimize the impact on legitimate services performance. Following this observation, we formulate a non-linear integer optimization problem that maximizes the number of attack paths intercepted by the allocated decoys within a fixed resource budget. Attack paths represent the attacker's movements within the infrastructure as a sequence of violated microservices. We also design a heuristic decoy placement algorithm to approximate the optimal solution and overcome the computational complexity of the proposed formulation. We evaluate the performance of the optimal and heuristic solutions against other schemes that use local vulnerability metrics to select which microservices to clone as decoys. Our results show that the proposed allocation strategy achieves a higher number of intercepted attack paths compared to these schemes while requiring approximately the same number of decoys

A Comprehensive Insight into Game Theory in relevance to Cyber Security

The progressively ubiquitous connectivity in the present information systems pose newer challenges tosecurity. The conventional security mechanisms have come a long way in securing the well-definedobjectives of confidentiality, integrity, authenticity and availability. Nevertheless, with the growth in thesystem complexities and attack sophistication, providing security via traditional means can beunaffordable. A novel theoretical perspective and an innovative approach are thus required forunderstanding security from decision-making and strategic viewpoint. One of the analytical tools whichmay assist the researchers in designing security protocols for computer networks is game theory. Thegame-theoretic concept finds extensive applications in security at different levels, including thecyberspace and is generally categorized under security games. It can be utilized as a robust mathematicaltool for modelling and analyzing contemporary security issues. Game theory offers a natural frameworkfor capturing the defensive as well as adversarial interactions between the defenders and the attackers.Furthermore, defenders can attain a deep understanding of the potential attack threats and the strategiesof attackers by equilibrium evaluation of the security games. In this paper, the concept of game theoryhas been presented, followed by game-theoretic applications in cybersecurity including cryptography.Different types of games, particularly those focused on securing the cyberspace, have been analysed andvaried game-theoretic methodologies including mechanism design theories have been outlined foroffering a modern foundation of the science of cybersecurity

A Survey of Network Requirements for Enabling Effective Cyber Deception

In the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, the utilization of cyber deception has gained prominence as a proactive defense strategy against sophisticated attacks. This paper presents a comprehensive survey that investigates the crucial network requirements essential for the successful implementation of effective cyber deception techniques. With a focus on diverse network architectures and topologies, we delve into the intricate relationship between network characteristics and the deployment of deception mechanisms. This survey provides an in-depth analysis of prevailing cyber deception frameworks, highlighting their strengths and limitations in meeting the requirements for optimal efficacy. By synthesizing insights from both theoretical and practical perspectives, we contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the network prerequisites crucial for enabling robust and adaptable cyber deception strategies

Assessing and augmenting SCADA cyber security: a survey of techniques

SCADA systems monitor and control critical infrastructures of national importance such as power generation and distribution, water supply, transportation networks, and manufacturing facilities. The pervasiveness, miniaturisations and declining costs of internet connectivity have transformed these systems from strictly isolated to highly interconnected networks. The connectivity provides immense benefits such as reliability, scalability and remote connectivity, but at the same time exposes an otherwise isolated and secure system, to global cyber security threats. This inevitable transformation to highly connected systems thus necessitates effective security safeguards to be in place as any compromise or downtime of SCADA systems can have severe economic, safety and security ramifications. One way to ensure vital asset protection is to adopt a viewpoint similar to an attacker to determine weaknesses and loopholes in defences. Such mind sets help to identify and fix potential breaches before their exploitation. This paper surveys tools and techniques to uncover SCADA system vulnerabilities. A comprehensive review of the selected approaches is provided along with their applicability

Classifying resilience approaches for protecting smart grids against cyber threats

Smart grids (SG) draw the attention of cyber attackers due to their vulnerabilities, which are caused by the usage of heterogeneous communication technologies and their distributed nature. While preventing or detecting cyber attacks is a well-studied field of research, making SG more resilient against such threats is a challenging task. This paper provides a classification of the proposed cyber resilience methods against cyber attacks for SG. This classification includes a set of studies that propose cyber-resilient approaches to protect SG and related cyber-physical systems against unforeseen anomalies or deliberate attacks. Each study is briefly analyzed and is associated with the proper cyber resilience technique which is given by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Special Publication 800-160. These techniques are also linked to the different states of the typical resilience curve. Consequently, this paper highlights the most critical challenges for achieving cyber resilience, reveals significant cyber resilience aspects that have not been sufficiently considered yet and, finally, proposes scientific areas that should be further researched in order to enhance the cyber resilience of SG.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence Capabilities to Improve Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a fast-evolving discipline that is always in the news over the last decade, as the number of threats rises and cybercriminals constantly endeavor to stay a step ahead of law enforcement. Over the years, although the original motives for carrying out cyberattacks largely remain unchanged, cybercriminals have become increasingly sophisticated with their techniques. Traditional cybersecurity solutions are becoming inadequate at detecting and mitigating emerging cyberattacks. Advances in cryptographic and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques (in particular, machine learning and deep learning) show promise in enabling cybersecurity experts to counter the ever-evolving threat posed by adversaries. Here, we explore AI\u27s potential in improving cybersecurity solutions, by identifying both its strengths and weaknesses. We also discuss future research opportunities associated with the development of AI techniques in the cybersecurity field across a range of application domains

Cyber Security Active Defense: Playing with Fire or Sound Risk Management

“Banks Remain the Top Target for Hackers, Report Says,” is the title of an April 2013 American Banker article. Yet, no new comprehensive U.S. cyber legislation has been enacted since 2002, and neither legislative history nor the statutory language of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) or Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) make reference to the Internet. Courts have nevertheless filled in the gaps—sometimes with surprising results